Sterilizer



I W. G. MILLER STERILIZER- Filed March 31', 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l Wm #111111 44. M4.

alumna w. G. MILLER Aug 12 19.24.

STERILIZER 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed March 51 Qwontoc M ma. m

Patented Aug. 12, 1924s WALTER G. MILLER, OF GALVESTON, TEXAS.

SIEBILIZER.

Application filed March 31, 1923. Serial No. 629,095.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER G. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Galveston, in the county of Galveston and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sterilizers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a sterilizer.

One object of the invention is to provide a sterilizer specially adapted for use in hos- I pitals and the like for the purpose of sterilizing implements and whatever else may be necessary to be sterilized said sterilizer being equipped with means for automatically cutting off the gas or other fuel when the water becomes low in the sterilizer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sterilizer of the character described which is of simple construction and may be cheaply and easily manufactured and readily kept in repair.

W'ith the above and other objects in view the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is an end view of the sterilizer.

Figure 2 is a plan View, and Figure 3 is a side view partly in section. Figure 4 is a central sectional view of the shut off valve.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designate supporting legs which are secured in fixed relation by means of suitable connecting bars 2, and mounted upon these legs is the sterilizer proper which consists of an enclosed compartment. Suitably mounted underneath the sterilizer 3 there is the elongated tubular burner nozzle 4 which is supplied by the service line 5 which is controlled by the usual shut off valve 6. This valve is normally held closed by spring pressure in the well known manner and has a depending stem 7. I There is a hinge member 8 clamped to the valve casing and pivoted to this hinge member there is an angular lever 9 which is aligned underneath the valve stem 7 and whose free end is upwardly turned. Fastened to the burner nozzle pipe are the bearing members 10, 10 in which the shaft 11 is rotatably mounted. Fixed to this shaft there is a trigger 12 arranged to engage with the free end of the lever 9 and operating to hold said lever against the valve stem 7 thereby holding the valve open. Underneath the sterilizer there is a U-shaped pipe 13 whose ends are upwardly turned through the bottom of the sterilizer and are anchored to said bottom. One arm of this pipe lies alongside the burner nozzle 4 and fastened to the bend of thisU-sha'ped pipe there is a rigid arm 14 whose free end has an adjusting screw 15 which rests against the upper end of the lug 16 carried by the shaft 11.

.VVhen the sterilizeris filled with water the water circulating through the pipe 13 will keep it of practically uniform temperature throughout. However when the water becomes low in the sterilizer and ceases to circulate through said Ushaped pipe the arm of it adjacent the burner will become much hotter than the opposite arm and will consequently become somewhat longer thus operating to force the free end of the arm 14 over toward the lug 16 and the pressure of the set screw 15 against said lug will operate to release the latch 12 from the lever 9, these parts assuming the positions indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1. The

valve stem 7 being released the valve will close and cut off the supply of gas to the burner thus extinguishing the flame and preventing the sterilizer from becoming overheated and warped and consequently ruined.

What I claim is 1. A sterilizer including a container, a gas burner associated therewith, a shut off valve controlling the supply of gas to the burner, a mechanism disposed to hold said valve open to admit gas to said burner, and a looped fluid conduit connected at both ends into said container and having its arms located at unequal distances from the burner, and having a free portion which is caused to move by the unequal expansion of said arms to release said mechanism and thereby permit the closing of the valve.

2. A sterilizer including a sterilizing chamber, a gas burner associated therewith, a self-closing valve controlling the supply of gas to the burner, a mechanism disposed to hold said valve open to admit gas to the burner, and a thermostat associated with the burner and disposed to actuate said mechanism into inactive position thereby permitburner associated therewith, a

ting theolosing of the valve, said thermostat erally movable tree portion.

3. A sterilizer including a Water con tainer, a looped fluid conduit connected at both ends into said chamber, a gas burner arranged underneath saidchamber and adjacentsaid fluid conduit, a self closing valve controlling the flow ofgas to said burner, apivote d lever operating, when. in active position, to holdsaid valve open, a latch normally engaging with sa'id'lever and holding the same in active position, and an arm carriedby said looped conduit and in operative connection With said latch and disposedto actuate the same to release it from said lever thereby permitting the valve to close.

4. In combination a container, a gas conduit formedinto a loop and both ends of which are connected into said container, an arm carried by said loop, a selfclosing valve controlling the supply of fuel to said burner, a lever, when in active position, holding said valve 'open,a latch normally holding said lever in active position, said arm being located so as when actuated to release said latch from saidleverthereby permitting said valve to close. I

,In combination, a container, a gas burner associated therewith, a gas supply pip'egleading to said burner, a seltclosing valve controlling said pipe, a lever, when in active position, operating to hold said valve open, a latch disposed to engage with said lever and hold the same in said active position, and a thermostat associated with the burner and influenced by the heat radiating therefrom, and arranged, when actuated, to release said latch to permit said valve to close, said thermostat consisting of a looped tube communicating at both ends with said container. V

6. A sterilizer including a container, :1 gas burner associated therewith, a gas supply line through which gas is supplied to said burner, avalve in said line, means tending to close the valve, a mechanism arranged to engage with and hold said, valve open, a tube formed into a loop and having both ends connected into the container thus providing an actuating arm anchored at one end and having its other end free, and the sides of said loop being arranged at unequal distances from said burner, to eilect unequal expansion of said sides to cause lateral movement of the free end of the arm, said arm having operative connections with said mechanism, and being effective through its lateral movement to release said, mechanism to permit the valve to close.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. WALTER G. MILLER. lVit-nesses J OHN WI Rnrss, JAMES A. LYoNns. 

